Valved dumping-car.



1. T. GILMAN. JMVED DUMPING CAR.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 0. i915- Paten'ted Dec. 31, 1918.

5 SHEETS-SHEET I.

J. T. (MLIVHHL VALVED DUMPING CAR.

APPLICATION FILED 050.10.1915.

Patented Dec. 31, 1918.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

n1: NORRIS "1: co. Fumunm. WANINQION J. T. GILMAN.

VALVED DUMPING CAR.

APPLICATION FILED uc.1o,19|5.

1,289 1 53 Patented Dec. 31, 1918.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3- J. T. GILMAN.

VALVED DUMPING CAR.

AL'PLICATION FILED nsc. 10. 1915.

s SHEETS-SHEET 4.'

Patented Dec. 31, 1918.

\faa 6 .5.

1. T. GILMAN.

VALVE!) DUMPING CAR.

APPLICAHON FILED 02c. 10, 1915 Patented Dec. 31, 1918.

5 SHEETS SHEET 5.

I: mum; Flynn 60,-4010 ulna. mm,

rair rare.

JOSEPH '1. GILMAN, OF NEW YORK, N. ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO

GOODWIN CAR & MFG. COMPANY, INC., OF WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, A COREO-RATION OF DELAWARE.

VALVED DUMPING-CAB.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 31, 1918.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

B it known that I, JOSEPH T. GILMAN, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city, county, and State of New York, have invented thefollowing described Improve ments in Valved Dumping-Cars.

The invention, in its general objects, is an improvement in thatparticular type of hopper bottom vehicles commonly known as the Goodwindumping car, wherein drop doors or side valves are combined with centerdetent valves and underlying detent mecha nism to allow the car to bereadily dumped of its entire cargo, without careening, in eitherdirection and either outside or between the rails, but certain featuresar also included in the invention which may be use ful in other types ofcars or hopper-bottom valved receptacles. The improved constructionprovides a steeper pitch for the discharping aprons and hopper sidesthan has hitherto been obtainable in this type of car except by undulyincreasing the height of the car or raising its center of gravity whenloaded, changes which are obviously restricted by conditions of use andsafety. Such increased pitch is made possible according to the presentinvention by a reorganization and general condensation and lowering ofthe detent mechanism, and is accompanied by alterations in the valvedcargo-carrying receptacle and discharge chutes and in the structuralelements of'the car body, wherebv. nOtWithStanding the steeper pitch,the carrying capacity per standard car length can be maintained. Theadvantage of the steep pitch, as will be understood. is to enable awider range of materials to be completely and cleanly discharged oneither side of the track or between the rails, as desired. The improveddetent mechanism is formed of three superposed sections to support theload and such sections collapse compactly in accommodating the steeppitch of the opened detent valv and without en.- croaching on the spacerequired for adequate sill support of the car. The changes in respect tothe cargo receptacle and side aprons and their relation to thesupportinv structure are described more particularly hereinafter. Theinvention further includes improvements in the means for selectivelyreleasing the detent valves, and for replacing them and the side doors,by power, in the proper sequence and from the end of the car or carplatform, thereby additionally enhancing th utility of the-combination,as will be evident. Other objects and advantages will become apparent asthe specification proceeds, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, wherein Figure l is a side elevation showing approximatelyone-half of the length of the car, portions being shown broken away andin section for clearness of illustration;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the car, the valves at one sidebeing shown open;

Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section showing the car in the conditionof Fig. 2, the section being. taken on th line 3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line 4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is an end elevation with parts broken away and in section;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view with parts in section andbroken away;

Fig. 7 is a detail elevation looking from the central part of the cartoward the right in Fig. 3, the detent valve and other parts at the leftbeing removed and the center sill for the major part of its height beingindicated only in dotted lines in order to reveal the detent mechanismat the opposite side;

Fig. 8 is a section taken in a vertical transvers plane through thecenter sill, showing in end elevation the longitudinally mountedaircylinder for replacing one of the detent valves, the said valve beingin its dropped position;

Fig. 9 is a similar view showing the said replacing means in fullyactuated condition and the detent valve restored thereby to normalposition;

Fig. 10 is a side elevation of the complete car with the valves at thenear side in dumped condition and with the bumpers re moved from theirconnection to the ends of the center sill; and

Fig. 11 is a detail showing a modification and preferred form of thedetent restoring mechanism.

The car is carried by a single center sill 1, extending from truck totruck and constituted by-a deep vertical web, deeper between trucks thanat the truck bolsters and suitably reinforced with flanges. The hoppersuperstructure is comprised of upper side girders 3 joined at the endsby cross-girders 3 and carried on the center sill by heavy uprightplates 2, and also by various other supplementary supporting members asmay be seen from the drawings. The uprights 2 are disposed between andclose to the trucks, and between them and the cross girders 3 the fixedfloor of the hopper body is constituted by three triangular platesconverging toward the plane of said upright, and forming the overhanginghopper end designated 7 in Figs. 1 and 2. All of these plates and partsare to be understood as securely oined and reinforced by corner andangle irons as common in steel car construction, and wherever necessary.To avoid confusion in illustration, many of the obviously-desirablereinforcin details are omitted and certain parts are shown as of singlepieces, whereas in the actual car they are best structually formed ofunited plates. The heavy angle irons for securing the uprights 2 to theweb of the center sill are designated by 2 in Fig. 6.

The inclined sides of the hopper between the supporting uprights areformed entirely of the side-doors 4L, hinged to the side girders, andthe detent valves 5, the said side doors being normally held againstopening or outward swinging, by the detent valves, and when said valvesand doors are closed, they represent the steep pitch above referred to,which is 15 in the present case. The walls of the hopper ends 7 have thesame pitch, so that material in such ends is under the same influence todischarge as that in the center of the car. When one of the detentvalves is released and allowed to drop to open position, the dischargingsurface is continued beyond the said valve by the apron (58 as shown atthe right hand side of Fig. 3. The apron has the same pitch as theunopened side door and the dropped detent and sufiices to carry thedischarged material well overboard.

The steep pitch involves, as stated, a general lowering or carryingdownward of the valves, detent mechanisms and aprons as compared withprevious practice, the car as a whole being as high or slightly higherthan heretofore, and because of this lowering the valve doors and apronsextend only between the trucks, or to the uprights 2, while additionalcarrying capacity over the trucks is furnished by the stationary hopperends 7 Beneath these hopper ends are platforms 6 supported on the endsof the center-sill and associated framework, the detatil of which is notimportant. On these platforms the operator stands while releasing andreplacing the valves and is not required to leave it for eitheroperation, the car being thus adapted to be dumped and restored tocondition for receiving the next load while in motion. While only oneend of the car has been shown, it will be understood that the oppositeend of substantially the same construction, with or without aduplication of the operating and controlling mechanism.

The hinging of the drop side doors 4: is accomplished by longitudinalrock-shafts 9, which are journaled in brackets 10 on the undersides ofthe longitudinal side girders 3 and to which the side doors are madefast in any suitable manner, as for instance by the brackets 11, rivetedto the doors. At the end of the car (Figs. 1 and 5) theseroclc shaftsextend beyond the ends of the side doors and slightly beyond the hopperends 7, at which point they are provided with crank arms 12, whereby thedoors can be swung to closed position as will presently be descr1bed.

The reinforcement of the vertical web 13 of the center sill ispreferably formed by marginal angle irons forming upper and lowerflanges 14 and 15, and the said upper flanges are desirably droppedbelow the top of the web, leaving a central rib 16 composed of the upperportion of the web plate and the upwardly directed flanges of the angleirons. Such construction provides clearance for a number of parts aswill presently appear. Secured at intervals along the center sill andprojecting from the opposite sides of its central web are a series ofbrackets, each constituted'by a pair of adjacent, substantiallytriangular, skeletonized plates 17, seen most clearly in Figsn3, f, 6and 7. These bracket members form the means whereby the load transmittedby the detent valves is imparted to the center sill, for which reasonthey are spaced at equal intervals along said sill and symmetrically onboth sides thereof.

The detent mechanisn'i forms the direct support for the detent valvesbetween the same and the sill brackets and comprises members 18 and 19,for each bracket, carried thereon and normally supported one upon theother in load-sustaining relation to a strut or leg 20, fixed to theunder sides of the said detent valves 5. The members 18, 19 and 20, intheir supporting position, one above and upon the other are shown at thelefthand side of Fig. at and are adapted to collapse to low-lyingpositions adjacent the side of the center sill as shown at the right ofthe same figure. Together they form a sectional supporting column orstrut, and may be appropriately termed sectional strut members.- Thelowermost members 18 may be regarded as the detents proper, these be ingcarried by the detent shaft 21 and located between the plates 17 of thesill brackets. The detent shafts 2-1, are rock-shafts journaled in thesaid bracket plates at about the level of the middle of the center sill.When in valve-supporting position, the detents 18 are disposed uprightwith their pivotal centers substantially in the line of thrust, but, inorder that they may be self-holding under load, the detents are carriedslightly beyond the line of thrust and release stop abutments areprovided for them, formed in this in stance, by the lugs 22 projectingfrom the inner face of the plates 17 of the sill bracket. Theintermediate strut members 19 are pivoted on the substructureindependently of the detents 18 and have their pivots 23 located wellinward of the lines of thrust, so that when the detent sections arecollapsed these members swing compactly downward and inward below theircenters of move lnent, as shown in righthand side of Fig. 1-. To thisend the intermediate members may be of approximately the elbow formationillustrated in the drawings, their outer strut portions 19 only being onthe direct line of thrust, and their normally horizontal lower portions19 serving merely as shanks for the thrust or strut portions. The pivots23 are preferably mounted in the upper portions of the bracket plates 17beneath the overhang of the top flanges 14 of the center sill and closeto the web thereof, whereby the said member projects the least distancetherefrom when collapsed.

The upper ends of both of the members 18 and 19 are preferably equippedwith antifriction rollers 24 and 25, and the shank portions of themembers 19 are slotted, as represented at 26 in Fig. 7, in order toaccommodate the depending strut members .20 on the detent valves. Whenthe latter are dropped the ends of these members swing inward beneaththe center sill flanges 15L, penetrating the slots 26 to positionsbeneath the pivots 23, and close to the web of the sill, as shown at theright of Fig. st.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the several sections of thethree-part struts or columns are adapted to collapse in com pact formwell beneath the plane of dis charge and between the same and the centersill.

The detent valves are hinged on pintles 27, mounted in brackets 29secured to the upstanding sill rib above described. The inner edges ofthese valves are necessarily separated somewhat from the hinge axis;and, in order to fill in the gap in the chute which would otherwiseresult when the valves are in the discharging condition, an invertedangle bar 28 is secured to the tops of the brackets 29 above the sillrib 16, this bar being interrupted at intervals to accommodate the cleator hinge members 30 on the under sides of the valves. The strut members20 arepreferably integral with these cleats, which are united rigidly tothe valve plates. By virtue of the provision of this ridge, or ofequivalent stationary, gap-filling chute sections of appropriate width,it is permissible to remove the hinge pivot at such distance from thevalve edges as may be desirable for the purpose of accommodating astrong and advantageous hinge construc tion, or for flexibility ofdesign in other particulars. With the valve plates spaced substantiallyfrom the pintles, as shown, the plates when open extend downward fartherthan would otherwise be the case, thus permitting the upper edges of theaprons 68, hereinafter described, to be located at a correspondinglylower level, and thereby enabling the intermediate strut members 19 tobe made proportionately long and still clear the aprons in theirswinging movement. The relations are also such that when the valves aredropped the reinforcing angle irons on their under sides adjacent thehinge are accommodated in the angle between the rib 16 and flange 1% ofthe sill.

At the end of the hopper car the detent shafts 21 pass through theuprights 2 and are provided each with an outwardly projecting crank arm31, by which the shafts may be rocked to swing the detents toward thecenter sill and thereby trip and collapse the strut members. Thisrocking is performed by compressed air taken from the air-braketrain-line and stored in a suitable tank, not shown, and introducedunder the control of the operator, into a cylinder 32, secured to theframing upright 8. The piston rod 36 of this cylinder moves verticallyand carries a yoke at its end which embraces the inward overlapping endsof two levers 33 fulcrumed on brackets 34 on the crossgirder 3 Theoutboard ends of these levers are equipped with devices 38 adapted toengage optionally with the pins 39 on the ends of the side-door levers12 or with linkage connections reaching to the crank arms 31 on thedetent shafts 21. The air cylinder serves to replace the side doors 4 aswell as to rock the detent shafts. The said devices 38 may take the formof hooks as shown and as so formed are arranged to hang by gravity inposition to engage the pins 39 when the side doors are hanging open asshown in Fig. 5. By hooking, or allowing the hook 38 at either side, orthe hooks at both sides, to engage, with one or the other crank arm 12,or with both of them, as the case may be, the air cylinder may beoperated to replace one or both the side doors as presently described.The linkage connections with the cranks 31 of the detent' shafts,preferably comprise, foreach detent shaft, and hook 38, a pull rod40guided .behind a retainer 41 having at its upper end a pivoted shackle42, which may be caught over the hook catch device 38 as'indicated invdotted lines in Fig. 5. The lower end of this pull rod is pivoted to alever arm 43 which is fast ona rock-shaft 44 journaled in appropriatebrackets marked45 and 46 respectively (Fig. 6). The said shaft isprovided inwardly of the arm 43, that is to say at a point adjacent theupright 2, with a second arm 47, which is connected with the crank arm31 of the detent shaft by. a second link 48 passing through an opening49 in the platform. Either of the catches 38 may be held out ofoperative relation with both the replacing levers 12 and the shackles 42by the chain retainers 50 hanging from the levers 33, as indicated atthe left of Fig. 5, but when connected with the linkage above describedthe air cylinder rocks the detents 18 on the corresponding shaft 21 andthereby dumps the load.

Replacement of the detent valves 5, after dumping, is effected byseparate air cylinders 51, one for each side, which c re secured inhorizontal positions alongside the opposite sides of the center sill,somewhat below and inward of the detent shafts 21 and faced in oppositedirections in the car shown. The piston rods 52 of these cylinders areloosely connected with the clownturned arms of bell-crank levers 53,which are journaled with a loose fit on fulcrumpivots 54 carried bybrackets'55 secured to the web of the sill beneath the top flanges 14.The operating arms of these bell cranks are provided at theirextremities with rollers 56 adapted to engage with and roll in channeledtracks "57 and in such manner that the actuation of the bell crank,notwithstanding its longitudinal arrangement will serve to lift thedetent valve from dropped to closed position.

The said replacing cylinders '51 also effect the restoration of thedetent mechanisms through connections between the latter and the detentvalves. In the preferred embodiment of the invention chains 58 aresuspended from the outer portions of the detent valves and are connectedat their lower ends with cranlq arms 59 on the detent shafts (see Fig.6) so that the raisingof the valves by the cylinder 51 also rocks thesaid shafts in the directions to erect the detents 18 from theirrecumbent inoperative positions to which they are forced by the droppingof the valves. Inasmuch as it is inexpedient to attempt'to make theconnection 58 of the exact length completely to restore the detents,tension springs 60 are applied to the detent shafts for completing thedetent-restoring movement, the said springs being connected at theirinner ends toarms 61 on the said shafts and at their outer .endsto-fixed anchorages 62.

The construction is such that the detents in their movement fromcollapsed to normal positions also restore the intermediate members 19,this being ,accomplished by upward pressure exerted through the rollers24. Inasmuch as this pressure would at the beginning be substantially inline with the centers 23, cam surfaces are provided on the members 18and 19 for initiating the outward movement of the intermediate members,the said surfaces being shown as comprisingdiagonal shoulders 66adjacent the angles of the members 19 and noses 67 on the detents 18projecting beyond the rollers 24 (see Fig. 4).

I Means are provided, as is customary, whereby the detents may be lockedin their operative positions by an extraneous agency, such as a pin orpadlock,'the provisions in the present instance comprising an aperture63 in the extremity of each arm 43 adapted to register with an aperture64 in a fixed bracket 65 when the detent valve is closed.

The inclined side aprons 68, which constitute the lowermost sections ofthe discharging chutes for dumping beyond the track, are mounted uponthe outer portions of the sill brackets 17, on which the detentmechanism is supported and the said aprons may be tilted toapproximately upright positions, as indicated in dotted outline in Fig.3, for the purpose of delivering material such as ballast between thetrack rails, and, in accordance with the present invention, the pivots69 upon which the aprons are hinged are located intermediate the upperand lower edges of these tiltable sheets, orapproximately centrally, inorder that the lower sections of the apron may be carriedinward in thecenter dumping condition, so as to prevent escape of material beyond therails. The said pivots 69 are mounted in the outer lower portions of thepairs of plates 17, which latter are provided with abutment faces 70 and71, (Fig. 6) respectively, for limiting the movement of the aprons inopposite directions and supporting them in their extreme positions. Theaprons are further provided at their upper edges with lugs orprojections 72, which underlie the lower outer edges of the detentvalves 5 when the latter are dropped, thereby restraining the apronsagainst undesired upward tilting movement under the weight of thematerial chuted over them when dumping outside of the track.

The end plates 2 are also braced and tied together, inwardly of theaprons 68 and at opposite sides of the center sill by tubular members 73and 74, which extend from end plate to 'end ,plate, to which they areunited,

and which pass through and may afford additional upport to the brackets17. These serve as protecting conduits for the brake rod 7 5 and thevarious air pipes 76.

In order to dump the cargo at either side of the car the shackle 42 ofthe tripping linkage at that side is hooked over the corresponding catch38. The operator then opens the valve 80 in the piping 79, therebyadmitting fluid pressure to the cylinder 32, which depresses the yoke35, thereby swinging the transverse levers 33 to the dotted linepositions of Fig. 5. The upward pull on the tripping linkage 10, 48,etc., of the selected side rocks the detents 18 inward toward the centersill. When the detents are carried inward past center, the load on thevalves which previously acted to keep the detents erect against theirstops 22, now forces them and the intermediate members 19 downward, inwhich movement the intermediate members ride upon the rollers 24 whilethe depending strut members 20 ride upon the rollers 25. In thecollapsed condition the sections of the compound strut occupytransverse, closely adjacent, substantially parallel positions withinthe angle between the chute and the center sill and below the flange 1 1of the latter. In this condition the downward movement of the mem-. ber19 is limited by the contact of their rollers 2a with the hubs of thedetents, while the movement of the depending strut mem bers 20 islimited by their valves 5 coming into contact with the projections 72 ofthe aprons 68, which latter are sustained by the abutment faces 70. Itwill be obvious that the detents mi ht be accommodated if they were toswing below the approximately horizontal position shown in Fig. 4, but agreater range of movement than that indicated is unnecessary, and in thepresent instance the positions to which the detents descend aredetermined by the extent of throw of the piston rod 36 and the leverageof the various intermediate connections. twill also be evident that thevalves on both sides may be released simultaneously by connecting bothlevers to their detent shafts. Then the side door and detent valve whichhave thu been opened are to be replaced, the operator disengages thecorresponding shackle as from its hook 38 and fluid pressure is againadmitted to the cylinder 32, to the end that the catch 38 may engage andraise the arm 12 on the hinge portion of the side door 4-. While theressure is kept on the cylinder 32, holding this door closed, theoperator opens one of two valves 81 in piping 82, at the end of the car,thereby admitting pressure to the appropriate cylinder 51 on theubstructure. This cylinder, through its bell-crank 53, thereupon raisesthe corresponding detent valve into supporting relation to the said sidedoor and the chain 58 connected to the detent valve rocks the detentsback toward normal position, to which they are completely restored bythe springs 60. In this movement the detents also restore theintermediate members 19. In order to dump outside of the rails theaprons 68 are located in the full line positions, and for dumpingbetween the rails they are disposed in the dotted line positions, aswill now be evident.

Referring now to the modification shown in Fig. 11, the discharge apron68 and the center detent valve 5 in its dropped position, are shownbroken away to expose the replacing lever 53 and the detent shaft 21,the lever and shaft being represented in the position immediately beforethe restoring of the detent valve and detent mechanism. A cording tothis modification the working arm of the bell crank lever 53 isconnected by a chain 58 with the end of the crankarm 59 which is fast onthe detent shaft 21, extending inwardly thereon in the same relation andfor the same purpose as the crank-arm 59 shown in Fig. 6 and abovedescribed. This crank-arm takes the place of the arm 59, and the chain58 takes the place of the chain 58. Actuation of the replacing lever 53,as already described, serves to rock the detent shaft 21 in thedirection to restore the several strut members coincidentally with thereplacement of the detent valve 5, as represented by the dotted lines.The length of the chain 58 is of course predetermined to accomplish therestoration of the strut members coincidentally with the replacement ofthe detent valve, and in so doing the latter will be lifted somewhatabove its normal closed position.

It will be apparent, however, that the invention is not confined to anyparticular construction or relation of the replacing means for thedetent valves and members, provided the novel principles of operationhereinabove fully disclosed are utilized in whole or in par Thecoordination of the detent valves and their strut members, whereby theoperation of a single agent restores all of them in proper sequence andautomatically, will be recognized as an important feature of the presentinvention and as quite independent of the side-door replacing means andother structural arrangements of the illustrated car.

What I claim as new is: I

1. In a valved dumping receptacle of the kind described, the combinationwith a drop side door, a substructure, and a detent valve hinged on saidsubstructure centrally of the receptacle and normally supporting theside door, of vertically extended means for supporting said detent valvein its raised position and permitting the same to swing clown- Ward to asteep discharging angle, the said means comprising three strut membersnormally superposed one upon another, sustalning the load on the detentvalve from a low point on the substructure and adapted to collapse toinward and low-lying positions.

2. In a valved dumping receptacle of the kind described, the combinationwith a drop side door, a substructure, and a detent valve hinged on saidsubstructure centrally of the receptacle and normally supporting theside door, of means for supporting the detent valve from a low point onthe substructure comprising a strut projecting downward from the detentvalve, a normally erect detent on the substructure, and an upwardextending intermediate member independently mounted on the substructure.

3. In a valved dumping receptacle of the kind described, the combinationwith a dumping valve and a substructure, of a collapsible sectionalcolumn for supporting and releasing said valve, said column comprising aplurality of movable sections connected to the substructure and normallysupported in a substantially erect manner one upon another, and a strutprojecting rigidly clownward from the valve and separate from andnormally bearing upon the upper of said substructure sections.

4. In a valved dumping receptacle of the kind described, the combinationwith a dumping valve and an underlying sill bracket, of means applyingthe load on the valve to said bracket comprising three strut membersnormally disposed in upright position one upon another in loadsustaining relation to the valve, and being adapted to drop to low lyingpositions to release and clear the valve.

5. A valved dumping car of the kind described, eomprising drop sidevalves, center detent valves carrying downward projecting strut members,detent mechanism mounted on the substructure of the car comprisingpivotal strut members normally supported one upon another in loadsustaining rela tion to the strut members of the detent valves, andsuitable tripping means adapted to act upon the lower of said strutmembers.

6. In a valved dumping receptacle of the kind described, the combinationwith a dumping valve and a suitable substructure, of a sectional columnsupport for the valve comprising a plurality of pivotal sections carriedby the substructure and normally supported one upon and above another,and a downward projecting strut section carried by the valve to restupon the uppermost of said pivotal sections, said sections whencollapsed dropping to low lying adjacent and generally transversepositions.

7. In a valved dumping receptacle of the kind described, the combinationof a single projecting top flanges and dumping valves hingedly mountedon the sill, in combination with downward projecting strut members onthe said valves adapted to swing inward beneath said flanges when thevalves are dropped, and detent mechanism comprising superposed strutmembers located at opposite sides of the center sill for sustaining saidvalves and the load thereon.

9. In a valved dumping receptacle of the kind described, a centersupport, detent valves hingedly supported thereon, depending strutmembers on said valves, said parts being so constructed and organizedthat said strut members swing inward below the top of said centersupport when the valves are dropped, and detent mechanism comprisingsections supported one upon another and in turn supporting saidstrutmembers, said etent mechanism being adapted to collapse alongside saidcenter support.

10. In a valved dumping receptacle of the 4 kind described, thecombination [with a substructure, and a normally upward inclined valvepivoted centrally of the receptacle on the substructure, of an elbowmember pivoted on a fixed axis on the substructure for supporting saidvalve, the said member having an upwardly extending load-sustaining limbofisetoutwardly from the pivot by the other limb, and means forsupporting and releasing said elbow member, whereby the latter whenreleased swings inward and downward about said pivot.

11. A valved dumping car of the character described, comprising dropside doors,

center detent valves, and a suitable substructure, in combination withmembers separate from the valves pivoted on said substructure adjacentthe longitudinal center thereof and normally extending outward fromtheir pivots and upward into load sustaining relation to the detentvalves, and detents beneath said members mounted to rock on axesdisposed approximately in the lines of thrust.

12. In a valved dumping receptacle of the kind described, thecombination of a bottom dumping valve hinged to swing inward anddownward and having a downwardly projecting strut member thereon, adetent, and an intermediate downward swinging mem ber having its centerof movement disposed inward of the line of thrust and its outwardlyofi'set load-sustaining portion extending upward above its center ofmovement, said downwardly projecting strut 'member on the valve beingadapted to pass beneath said center when the valve and intermediatemember are dropped by the tripping of the detent.

13. In a. valved dumping receptacle of the kind described, thecombination of a clumping valve having a downward projecting strutmember thereon, a pivoted elbow member having a normally upwardextending portion offset laterally from its pivot and normally in loadsustaining relation to said strut member and having a slot in itsofisetting portion, and means for supporting and releasing said elbowmember and valve, said downward projecting strut member passing withinthe slot of said elbow member and beneath the pivot thereof when thevalve is dropped.

14:. In a valved dumping receptacle of the kind described, thecombination of a dumping valve having a downward projecting strut memberthereon, a detent member for supporting and releasing the valve, and anintermediate downwardly swinging supporting member having an opening toaccommodate said downward projecting strut When the valve is dropped.

15. In a valved dumping receptacle of the kind described, thecombination of detent valves hinged centrally of the receptacle to swinginward and downward and having downward projecting strut members,rocka'ble detents mounted to turn inward to releasethe said valves, andintermediate supporting members normally interposed between the detentsand the struts on the valves, the said members being pivotally mountedon the substructure of the car with their load-sustaining portionsofiset outward from and extending upward above their pivots and swinginginward and downward below their pivots when the mechanism is released.

16. In a valved dumping receptacle of the kind described, thecombination of a valve having a strut member on its under side, meansfor supporting and releasing said valve, and an intermediate pivoted.lbow member having a roller at its extremity normally supporting saidstrut member and a slot in its inner portion to receive said memher whenthe valve is dropped.

17 In a valved-dumping receptacle of the kind described, the combinationwith drop side doors and center detent valves, of means for supportingand releasing said detent valv'es comprising normally substantiallyerect detents arranged to swing inward to release the valves.

18. In a valved dumping receptacle of the kind described, thecombination with a center sill and valves hinged on a central pivotalaxis-above said sill, the same being normally upward inclined andadapted to swing downward and inward for discharge, of upward extendingdetents mounted on pivots carried by the center sill at opposite sidesthereof, said detent-s adapted to turn inward toward the sill to releasethe valves, downward projecting struts on the valves, and in termediatestrut members mounted to swing about pivots carried by the center sillsubstantially closer to the sides thereof than the pivots of the detentsand above the detent pivots, the load-sustaining portions of saidintermediate members being offset outward from and extending upwardabove their pivots, whereby the intermediate members when dropped areaccommodated in the triangular spaces defined by the planes of thevalves in their discharging positionsand the sides of the center sill.

19. In a valved dumping receptacle of the kind described, thecombination with a dumping valve having a downward projecting strutthereon, of a detent strut and an intermediate strut member pivotedindependently of each other on the substructure 01" the car, theintermediate member being offset outward from and rising above itspivot, and means whereby the detent when returned to normal positionafter dumping also restores said intermediatemember.

20. In a valved dumping receptacle of the kind described, thecombination of a dumping valve mounted to swing downward and inward andhaving a downward projecting strut member, a detent bearing a roller,and an intermediate member adapted to rest on said roller and in turn tosupport the valve strut member, said intermediate member being pivotedinward of the line of thrust and having its load-sustaining portionrising above the horizontal plane of its pivot and adapted to swinginward and downward below said pivot, and means for restoring saiddetent to supporting position after dumping, the detent and theintermediate member being provided with surfaces whereby to move theintermediate member toward said supporting position.

p1. In a valved dumping car of the kind described, the combination withbottom valves hinged centrally of the car to swing downward and inwardfor discharging, of rock-shafts beneath the valves bearing normallysubstantially erect detents for sustaining the valves in th ir raisedpositions, means for rocking the shafts to release the valves, means {orreplacing the valves, and chain connect-ions between the valves and therock-shafts whereby the valves when raised restore the detents.

22. In a valved dumping car of the kind described, the combination witha drop side door and a center deten valve normally holding the doorclosed, of detents standing beneath the detent valve for sustaining thesame, means for tripping the detents, and a single power means andconnections for replacing the detent valve and at the same timepositively restoring the detents.

23. In a valved dumping car of the kind described, comprisin drop sidedoors and center detent valves, rock-shafts bearing detents forsupporting and releasing said detent valves, and chain connectionswhereby the detent valves when raised also erect the detents.

24. In a valved dumping car of the kind described, the combination withcenter valves, of detents for supporting and releasing said valves,intermediate pivoted supporting members, and means whereby said valveswhen raised also raise both the detents and the intermediate members.

25. In a valved dumping car of the kind described, the combination of avalve, a rock-shaft bearing detents for supporting and releasing saidvalve, intermediate pivoted supporting members, and a connection wherebythe valve while being replaced actuates said rock-shaft back towardnormal position, the detent-s being adapted to raise the intermediatemembers.

26. In a valved dumping car of the kind described, the combination of avalve, a rock-shaft bearing detents for supporting and releasing saidvalve, intermediate pivoted supporting members, a chain connecting thevalve and rock-shaft for restoring the latter, and means whereby thedetents when thus raised exert restoring thrust upon the intermediatemembers, p

27. In a valved dumping car of the kind described, the combination withdrop side doors and center detent valves, of detent mechanism forsupporting and releasing the detent valves, power means for replacingsaid doors and valves, and mechanical connections whereby the detentmechanism is restored in a positive manner simultaneously with thereplacing of the detent valves.

28. In a valved dumping car of the kind described, a vertical flangedweb member constituting a center sill and having laterally projectingsupports, and center valves hinged upon said sill, in combination withdetents mounted on rock-shafts journaled in said supports, andintermediate members to support the valves on the detents, said membersbeing separate from the valves and having each a lower limb extendinginward beneath the top flange of the sill and there pivoted and anouter, upright limb extend ing upward above the flange.

29. In a valved dumping car of the kind described, a center sill,upright members rising therefrom near the trucks, top girders mounted onsaid upright members, drop side doors hung from the said girders, anddetent valves mounted on the center sill, in combination with sillbrackets projecting laterally from the sill, detent means carried bybrackets, side aprons mounted on the outer portions of the latter, andtie members uniting said end plates at opposite sides of the center silland passing through said brackets.

31. In a valved dumping car of the kind described, a center sill,vertical bracket plates projecting laterally therefrom, valves on thecenter sill, and detent mechanism and side aprons supported by saidbracket plates, in combination with upright members on the sill towardthe ends thereof united by top girders, and conduit members uniting thelower portions of said upright members to said bracket plates.

32. In a valved dumping car of the kind I described, the combinationwith drop side doors and center detent valves of a. center sill,vertical sill brackets extending laterally therefrom beneath the detentvalves and forming narrow compartments, and detent mechanism forsupporting and releasing the detent valves adapted to collapse withinsaid compartments.

33. In a valved hopper bottom dumping car having side drop doors andcenter detent valves, a center sill, brackets projecting laterallytherefrom, and aprons tiltably supported on said brackets substantiallymidway between their upper and lower edges and constituting the solechute surface exterior of said hopper bottom, said drop doors and detentvalves operating independently of said aprons.

3%. In a valved dumping car of the kind described, a. center sill, endplates supported thereon and in turn supporting top girders, drop sidedoors hung from said girders, and center detent valves hingedly mountedon the center sill, in combination with side aprons tiltably mounted onsupports projecting laterally from the center sill, and hollow conduitstying said end plates together inwardly of said aprons.

' 35. In a valved dumping car of the kind described, the combination ofdrop side doors, center detent valves, and side aprons tiltable as awhole about axes substantially mid-way between their upper and loweredges, whereby the lower parts of the aprons are swung inward whenthe'apronsare disposed for center dumping, the drop doors and detentvalves being independent of the aprons.

36. In a valved dumping car of the kind described, the combination withcenter dumping valves, of side aprons adapted to constitute chuteextensions of the said valves when the latter are in dumping position,said aprons being tiltable about axes intermediate their upper and loweredges, and means whereby the valves when down hold the upper portions ofthe aprons against upward movement.

'37. In a valve dumping car of the kind described, the combination withdumping valves, of side aprons adapted to constitute chute extensions ofthe said valves when the latter are in dumping position, said apronsbeing tiltable about axes intermediate their upper and lower edges, andhaving projections at their upper edges arranged to underlie the edgesof the said valves in the outboard dumping positions of the parts.

38. In a valved dumping car of the kind described, asubstructure, centerdumping valves hingedly mounted thereon, the hinge axis of said valvesbeing spaced at a distance from and below the inner edges of the valvesin their closed positions, and a stationary member adjacent the hingeand below the detent valve filling the gap when one or other of thevalves swings downward to dumping position.

39. In a valved dumping car of the kind described, the combination ofcenter dumping valves normally upward inclined, a ridge centrally belowsaid valves, and a hinge pivot for the valves below said ridge.

40. In a valved dumping car of the kind described, the combination of acenter sill, a ridge mounted on the top thereof, and center dumpingvalves above the ridge hinged to swing downward about a pivotal axisbeneath said ridge.

41. In a valved dumping car of the kind described, the combination of acenter sill having an upstanding top rib, members secured to said rib, aridge mounted on said members, a hinge pivot mounted in said membersbelow the top of the ridge, and center dumping valves having hingemembers connected with said pivot.

42. In a valved dumping car of the kind described, drop side doors,center detent valves, detent mechanism beneath the detent valves, andtiltable side aprons, in combination with narrow stationary chutesections beneath the detent valves in their normal positions, the hingeaxis of the detent valves being removed from the lower inner edges ofthese valves and disposed below said stationary chute sections.

43. In a valved dumping car of the character described, the combinationof a center sill and normally upward inclined center valves hingedthereon to swing downward and inward, of power cylinders carriedlongitudinally by the center sill beneath said valves, and connectionswhereby said cylinders act upwardly against the under sides of thevalves to replace the same.

44. In a valved dumping car of the kind described having drop side doorsand center detent valves, power cylinders beneath said detent valves,and levers acted upon by the pistons of said cylinders to replace thevalves. I

45. In a valved dumping car of the kind described, the combination of adumping valve, a horizontally-disposed power cylinder below the valve,and a bell-crank connected with the cylinder for upwardly swinging thevalve.

46. In a valve dumping car of the kind described, the combination of ahinged dumping valve having a channeled track on its underside extendingsubstantially parallel with the hinge axis, and longitudinally disposedbell-crank connected and adapted to operate upon said track to replacethe valve.

47. In a valved dumping car of the kind described, a center sill, detentvalves hingedly supported thereon, power cylinders arrangedlongitudinally adjacent opposite sides of the center sill beneath thedetent valves, and connections whereby said cylinders may replace thedetent valves.

48-. In a valved dumping car of the kind described, the combination ofside valves and center detent valves, power cylinders and connectionsfor replacing the said valves located at the under part of the car, andmeans at the end of the car for controlling said power cylinders.

49. In a valved dumping car of the kind described, the combination withdrop side doors and center detent valves normally holding said doorsclosed, of longitudinal. hinge shafts at the top of the car from whichsaid doors are hung, inward projecting replacing crank arms on the endsof said shafts, a power cylinder vertically disposed at the end of thecar and having an upward extending piston rod, and transverse levers ofthe first order above said cylinder with their inner ends arranged to beactuated by the piston rod and their outer ends adapted to act upon saidcrank arms.

50. In a valved dumping car of the kind described, the combination ofdrop side doors and center detent valves to support the same, a powercylinder at the end of the car, and means alternately operable therebyby movement of its piston in one direction either to replace the sidedoors or to release the center detent valves.

51. In a valved dumping car of the kind described, the combination ofdrop side doors having replacing crank arms, a power cylinder, and meansoperated thereby constructed to engage automatically with said crankarms.

52. In a valved dumping car of the kind described, the combination withside doors having replacing crank arms, center detent valves androck-shafts bearing detents for supporting and releasing the latter, ofa power cylinder at the end of the car, transverse levers arranged to beoperated by said power cylinder, and devices adapted for optionallyconnecting said levers with the detent shafts in order to trip thedetents, or with said replacing crank arms to replace the said sidedoors.

53. In a valved dumping car of the kind described, the combination witha side valve and a center detent valve, and a rock-shaft bearing detentsfor supporting and releasing said detent valve, of a power cylinder atthe end of the car adapted optionally to replace said side valve or turnthe rockshaft, and a second cylinder adapted to restore the detent valveand reversely turn the rock shaft.

5 1. In a valved dumping car of the kind described, the combination withdrop side doors, center detent valves, and means comprising rock-shaftsbearing detents for supporting and releasing said detent valves, ofreplacing arms connected with the ends of the drop side doors, linkagefor rocking said detent shafts to trip the detents, a power cylinder,and means for optionally connecting said power cylinder with either saiddoor replacing arms or said detent tripping linkage.

55. In a valved dumping car of the kind described, the combination of acenter sill, vertical end plates supported there-on, top girders mountedon the end plates, fixed hopper ends formed of triangular floor sections united to said end plates, drop side doors hinged to the topgirders and center detent valves hinged to the center sill, togetherforming the side walls of the cargo receptacle.

56. In a valved dumping car of the kind described, a center sill, enduprights mounted thereon inwardly of the trucks, and top girderssupported by said uprights, in combination with drop side doors, detentvalves and side aprons extending between said end uprights, andstationary hopper ends secured to said uprights and disposed verticallyover the trucks.

57. In a valved dumping car of the kind described, the combination ofside discharging chute members comprising side doors and center detentvalves forming inclined side walls of the cargo carrying receptacle, andside aprons adapted to constitute extencle formed by drop side doors andcenter detent valves constituting movable side walls which extenddownward into proximity to the top of the center sill and are includedlengthwise within the distance between the trucks, the cargo-carryingreceptacle being completed by stationary hopper ends supportedvertically over the trucks, and aprons which slope downward below andbetween the trucks and constitute extensions of the chutes formed by thedetent valves in their dropped position.

59. In a valved dumping car of the kind described, the combination withdrop side doors and center detent valves forming a sloping walledcargo-carrying receptacle, the detent valves normally holding the sidedoors closed, detent means beneath the detent valves for sustaining andreleasing the same, and a single agency and connections for restoringboth the detent valve and the detent mechanism positively and in propertime.

60. In a valved dumping car of the kind described, the combination witha drop side door and a center detent valve normally holding the sidedoor. closed, a collapsible detent structure beneath the detent valve,and a power means and connections therefrom to both the detent valve andthe detent structure for restoring the same. I 61. In a valved dumpingcar, a longitudinally hinged dumping valve, detent. means for supportingand releasing the same, a lever fulcrumed on a transverse axis forrestoring said valve, and connections whereby said lever restores saiddetent means.

62. In a valved dumping car comprising drop side doors and center detentvalves and a rock-shaft bearing detent mechanism for supporting andreleasing said detent valves, in. combination with a power-actuatedrestoring lever for saidvalve and connections from said lever to therock shaft for restoring the latter.

63. In a valved dumping car of the kind described comprising drop sidedoors, center detent valves and detent mechanism for supporting andreleasing the latter, the combination of an air cylinder for restoringsaid side doors, a second air cylinder disposed beneath the detentvalves, and means for selectively operating said two cylinders from theend of the car.

64. In a valved dumping car of the kind described comprising drop sidedoors, cen- In testimony whereof, I have signed this 10 ter detentvalves and detent mechanism for specification in the presence of twoWitsupporting and releasing the latter, the nesses.

combination of an air cylinder adapted to restore said side doors andrelease the detent JOSEPH T. GILMAN. valves, a second cylinder adaptedto restore the detent valves and their said detent mech- Witnesses:

anism, and means at the end of the car for J OHN T. CROWLEY,

operating said cylinders. K. L. GRANT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. 0."

